Forgive and Forget
by ohx3itsmagic
Summary: Joe Jonas soon realizes breaking up with Demi Lovato was a mistake. But asking for a second try is harder than he imagined.


**Forgive and Forget**

The Camp Rock Live! Tour was only two weeks in before Joe Jonas was positive it was something he was going to regret. Up there every night on a stage next to a girl he had called it off with no more than a few days before the tour itself started. Ouch.

He mentally kicked himself everytime he had to go up there and sing with her. Why did he have to end it? There was no doubt in his mind at all that he, Joe Jonas, was still in love with Demi Lovato.

Joe was still in shock, in a way. Why did he ever let her go? Sure, at the time, they had both thought it would be for the best. Being together too fast was just too much to handle. All the questioning, everything. It did get annoying. But Joe realized now he would take it back in a heartbeat just if she was his again. But the only catch was, he had no idea if she still loved him, too.

A few more days passed before Joe decided to do something about it. After the show, he made his way to Demi's bus through the darkness.

The stunning brunette was already in her pajamas, sitting by a mirror hanging on the wall. She was brushing her hair and singing to herself softly when Joe walked in. Demi saw him through the mirror and turned around.

"What are you doing here?"

Joe took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I just felt like, we need to talk." His brown eyes radiated with both guilt and hope beneath his black rimmed glasses.

Demi got off her chair and walked over to him. "Talk about what?"

Joe couldn't read her body language. He didn't know if she was being calm, cocky, or was just entirely pissed off. So he just decided to keep going. "I need to talk about us."

Demi's expression changed from somewhat defiant to softer. "Us?" she repeated.

Joe nodded. "Yeah. Us." He took a step closer, and was relieved when she didn't back away. "Demi, every night I get up on that stage and mentally kill myself for letting you go. I can't believe I ever did in the first place. I know the feeling was mutual, but I still feel like it's all my fault. I…..I still love you, Demi. I love you and I want you back." Joe braced himself for her reply. It was a good thing he did.

"So then why did you let me go?" Demi asked him. Once again, Joe couldn't place her voice. She sounded mad, but kept her voice level.

"I….I thought it was what you wanted," he stammered.

Demi sighed and broke eye contact, walking away. "Joe, I only agreed to call it off because I thought it was what you wanted. I didn't want to stand in your way or anything. I didn't want to hold you back."

Joe almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. "W-what?"

Demi still didn't look up. "I didn't know you still liked me."

"But Demi, the feeling was _mutual!_ Of course I still like you! I _love_ you! How could you even say that?"

She finally turned around, and Joe saw tears streaming down her face. "Because if you really loved me, you wouldn't break up with me just because it was getting too hard for Hollywood," she cried. "And even if you did, you would have enough courage to stop me from walking away instead of waiting this long."

Joe was silent for a moment. "I'm…I'm sorry, Demi. I really am. But…when we broke up, I just thought we both agreed it would be better. I can't read minds, Demi. If you didn't want to split you should have let me know. I appreciate you trying to put me before yourself, and letting me do what I want, but it was just as hurtful for me to let you go as it was for you."

"Well, great then," Demi said back, still angry. "You see what you do to me? I was happy with you Joe, and it got ripped apart for nothing. And just as I was getting used to being single again, you come and want to be together. I can't take this constant switching, and I don't want the press to have to either. When I date someone, it needs to be serious. And I don't call always on and off serious."

She turned her back and silently started to cry again.

Joe had a loss for words.

"You've got a lotta nerve," Demi continued. "Coming here, asking me to go out with you again. I'm not as stupid as you may think, Joe. I know about Ashley."

Ashley. The name made Joe come crashing down from his world where it seemed everything would be okay. Oh, great.

Joe had started seeing Ashley Greene not long after he and Demi broke up. He was fond of her, no doubt. But she, like Taylor Swift, just wasn't a good fit. She acted too old for him. She seemed like too much of a party girl. He soon realized, she wasn't Demi.

Joe Jonas was a man who _did_ have a lot of nerve. He was fearless, courageous, and confident. But the one thing Joe Jonas was scared to do was hurt someone. And he knew if he dumped Ashley for Demi, she would get upset. And poor Joe didn't need another Taylor Swift in his life. One girl hating him was enough.

Joe didn't know what to do. He didn't want to hurt Ashley, but he wanted to be with Demi. If he dumped Ashley, she would be upset, and he would feel bad. But then Demi would be his! If he kept Ashley, Demi would be upset for sure, and he wouldn't be happy. Joe didn't see any way out without hurting anyone. He had a severe dilemma on his hands.

So Joe just came up behind Demi, and took a deep breath. "Remember when we first met? Filming Camp Rock?"

No answer.

"And we had to duet at the end?" Joe came a step closer. "We sang together, I held your hand….."

Silence.

"Shane and Mitchie are so happy together, Demi. Why can't we make it work like them?"

"Because life isn't a movie, Joe. And I can't go back in time to when we filmed that scene, no matter how happy I was then," Demi said quietly.

Joe paused. "I am serious, Demi. I promise you that. If I wasn't serious I would have never come here in the first place. I love you, and if you take me back I'll never let you go again, I swear."

She started to cry again. Joe hated to see her cry. He put his arms around her from behind and held her for a moment. "I'm sorry you felt like I didn't care. But I do, a lot. No matter who's fault the split was, I'm ready to move on. I really missed you, Dem," he murmured against her neck.

She turned around in his arms. "But...but what about Ashley?"

Joe sighed. "You know I don't like hurting people, Demi. I hate seeing you cry like this. But I'm learning that sometimes you have to take action when you want something to happen. So if it means breaking up with Ashley to be with you, I'll do it. And if she's as nice as I think she is, she'll understand." He wiped away her tears. "Let's just start over, okay?"

She inhaled shakily. "Okay."

Joe smiled, and leaned closer, their foreheads touching. Both of them flashed back to 2007, back on that Final Jam stage. Back where everything all started.

"Demi, will you be my girlfriend?"

She smiled. "Yeah. I will."

Joe closed the space between them and kissed her like he had been dreaming and longing to do for a while. "See you in the morning, okay?" he whispered when they broke apart.

"Okay," she agreed. Joe rubbed her back quickly before heading for the door.

"Goodnight," he said on his way out.

Demi smiled. "Night, Joe," she called back as he disappeared across the grass.


End file.
